If Only Things Were Different
by Moonshine57
Summary: Rachel had everything she ever wanted; a loving family, good grades and a promising future in sports. Then, in an instant, all of that is taken away from her. Suddenly transported into the warriors world, Rachel must find a way to save the Clans from destruction. But will she be able to save herself? Please read! Rated T.
1. Chapter 1 - The Accident

_**Hey guys! Moonshine here!**_

_**I had this story in mind for a while now so I decided to write it all down today. I hope you guys enjoy it, and have a great day!**_

_**For those who are wondering about my other story, 'Soaring Through The Clouds', I **_**will**_** finish it. Just momentarily, I have lost **_**_inspiration for that story. But don't worry; I am halfway through the next chapter, I just don't know how to finish it. But I will finish the story, don't worry :)_**

**_Enough about that! PM me if you have anything you want to say, review, and enjoy!_**

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><p><span><strong>If Only Things Were Different<strong>

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><p>Rachel had everything she ever wanted; a loving family, good grades and a promising future in sports. Then, in an instant, all of that is taken away from her. Suddenly transported into the warriors world, Rachel must find a way to save the Clans from destruction. But will she be able to save <em>herself<em>?

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><p>"Hurry up!" Mom yelled on the other side of the door. "You're going to be late for school!"<p>

I groaned and looked at my alarm clock, which was sitting on my bedside table. It flashed; 7:20.

I sighed. "Mom, school only starts at 8 o'clock. I have a bunch of time," I muttered sleepily as I lay my head back on my pillow.

Mom frowned. "It takes ten minutes to get to Woodland Middle School. And don't you have tryouts for the school soccer team at 7:45?"

I immediately jumped out of my bed, feeling wide awake. "Ohmygosh! I totally forgot!" I yelped as I started to look for some clean clothes. Mom smiled.

"Come down to the kitchen when you're ready, honey. I made some pancakes!"

I quickly slipped some track pants on and I threw on a plain blue shirt. I rushed downstairs to the kitchen where the delicious smell of blueberry pancakes filled the air. I sat down at the table next to my older twin brother, Damien.

Damien started to snicker as soon as I sat down. "How was your wonderful snooze, Sleeping Beauty?" he joked. "Ha ha, very funny," I retorted. I rolled my eyes and quickly cut my pancakes.

I inhaled my blueberry pancakes as fast as I could. Just before we left, I put on my soccer gear. My shin pads, my cleats... As I was tying up the knots in my laces, I hear a little bark beside me. I look over and see my little Yorkie pup, Titus. I pat him on the head and he licks my arm. I laugh.

"Stop petting the dog! We gotta move!" Mom yelled again. I laugh once more and I finish tying up my laces.

When I was ready, Mom ushered Damien and I out the door faster than a cat being chased by a dog. "Bye Titus!" I call right before Mom locks the door.

We climb into Mom's tiny Prius car. Damien and I got squished in the back seat. I pulled out my favourite book of all time; _Warriors, The Last Hope _and started to read it for the five billionth time. But after a couple minutes, I got a little bored.

"Mom, can we listen to the radio? Pleeeeeeeeaaaaaaaase?" I begged.

"No! Listen to _me_ sing instead! My voice is soooo wonderful..." Damien boasted.

Then he started singing (in a horrible voice that made babies cry) 'Baby' by Justin Bieber. It was chaotic.

"Help! No! Please! Stop! You're killing me!" I screamed and covered my ears with my hands.

We argued for a long time. Then Mom put on one of her horrible 80s CDs, so I guess we both lost.

"We are family! I got all ma sisters with me!" Mom sang along with her CD. Damien and I groaned loudly, but Mom didn't seem to hear us over her blasted 80s music.

I'm not quite sure what happened next...

Damien and I were both covering our ears when we suddenly feel our car lurch to the side. Eviscerated is the proper word for it. The Prius, with us inside, flipped over, and I heard a lot of screaming.

A drunk truck driver going 75 miles an hour just rammed into our little car.

I don't think I was ever in this much pain in my whole entire life. Combined.

My ribs. My lungs. My neck. My skull. Everything hurt so bad. My vision went black as we crashed and flipped into a ditch.

The whole side of the car broke. Pieces of metal where clanking here and there, and I knew that the car had totally fallen apart. I tried to move out of the rubble, but I wasn't able. I was completely numb. Agony shot through my whole body, yet I wasn't able to cry a single tear.

A couple minutes later, ambulances came. I couldn't see them, but I could hear them. My ears seemed to be the only things that were working.

I feel the car moving. I don't know what is moving it, and I don't care. The only thing that I was thinking was, _I'm going to die._

I feel myself being placed on some sort of body tray. I forget what they're called. _Don't make me end like this... Save Damien... Save Mom... Please..._

Now, I have a huge headache and my consciousness starts to go fuzzy, but I can still hear what some of the paramedics are saying.

"Did you find all of them? We have a woman, a mother by the look of it, and her two children. Anyone else?"

I wanted to scream out _Everyone's here!_ but I couldn't move a single muscle.

"There's so much blood everywhere..."

"The girl with the shin pads looks the worst..."

"The truck driver died on impact..."

"I think she has a punctured lung! We need to get her to a hospital pronto!"

"The mother is fine! Only a concussion. She's awake now! The boy too, but get him on a stretcher anyway. He looks in a lot of pain."

I wanted to yell with joy. At least my mother was alive! And if what the medics said was true, that I was the worst turnout, than Damien should be ok. Hopefully.

"Where are they?! Where are my babies?!" I heard Mom scream at the top of her lungs just before my hearing failed completely.

I heard nothing, I saw nothing. It felt as though I was swimming in a black sea of agony. I wanted to yell, scream, howl, cry. My blood was on fire.

I feel the paramedics hoist my bed-thing onto the ambulance. I can sense Mom next to me, crying, and I also know that Damien's stretcher was next to mine.

Someone's hand squeezed into mine as I felt a tube go up my nose, helping me breathe. The hand was probably my mother's.

I suddenly found the strength to whisper, "It hurts, Mom... I love you..."

And my consciousness slipped away.


	2. Chapter 2 - Waking Up

_**Thanks for the reviews! I got a fast update for you! :)**_

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><p>Chapter 2<p>

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><p>I woke up to the sound of chirping birds and rushing water. I could feel fuzzy green grass beneath me, and the sun that poked out of the trees warmed me with its gentle rays.<p>

I immediately jumped up and looked around, my heart beating rapidly in my chest. I realized that I was in a forest, and there was a flowing stream running right next to my feet. No, not feet. _Paws_.

I gazed at my new body in horror. Light ginger fur covered my body from head to toe, except for my feet-turned-paws, which were white. I looked back and saw a white-tipped tail hanging limply on the ground. I tried to wiggle it and watched in shock as it actually responded.

_Wait... Am I...?_

I was a cat.

The first thing that came to my mind was to scream and freak out, but I forced herself to calm down and take deep breaths. Billions of questions were running through my panicking mind, and I knew that I would probably never find the answer to any of them.

_Where am I? How did this happen? Is this a dream? Why am I am cat?_

I took another deep breath to calm me down. _Can I still talk and walk like a human? _

I opened my mouth, determined to say "Is anybody there?" but all that came out was a soft kitten mewl. I hung my head in shame.

Then I crawled over to the nearest tree and dug my front kitten-claws into its soft bark. I placed myself in a good standing up position, but when I let go of the tree I fell flat on my back.

I felt a wail rise up to my throat, and I let it all out. What was I supposed to do?

After a couple minutes, I dried up my tears and awkwardly padded towards the stream. I was definitely not used to walking as a cat.

I looked down into the moving water of the stream. Through the ripples and small waves, I could make out the form of a tiny ginger face looking back at me. One thing that reassured me, however, were my eyes; they were green, just like my human self.

I looked more closely at the churning water. I looked about three, maybe four months old. I looked a little younger than I thought I would, but hey; I wasn't supposed to be a cat anyway.

My belly rumbled, and I noticed the sky starting to grow darker. I scratched some pieces of moss off a nearby tree and placed them on the ground. I lay down on top of it and watched the sun fully disappear. When the moon and stars rose, I lay my furry little head down and closed my eyes, breathing in the smell of the forest.

_Maybe this is all a dream,_ I murmured in my mind. _When I wake up, I'll be in a hospital bed where I belong. Or maybe, hopefully, that was a dream too..._

I sighed dreamily as I drift off to sleep.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

My heart sank when I opened my eyes to the sound of the running stream beside me. Devastated, I brought myself to my feet- err, paws and closed my eyes again. The strong scent of the forest filled my nostrils as I breathed in and out, trying to calm myself down all over again. But I knew that nothing I could do would bring me back to my original state.

_Well, the best I can do is look for my home and hope that someone rescues me,_ I thought plainly. But then I shook my head. I was in the middle of an unknown forest; there must be nothing around for miles.

I open my eyes and look around. My eyes linger on the stream next to me, and I faintly smile. This stream could lead me to a lake, and I could search for help there!

My heart beats faster as I get to my paws. I could be on my way home!

I awkwardly start to pad beside the stream, heading south. I _really_ should get used to this feline body.

I walk for a few more minutes, thinking about the reaction of my family if (and when) they see me as a cat when a different smell reaches my cat nose. I turn around and spot a squirrel nibbling under a tree root.

Unexpectedly, my stomach gives a humongous growl that makes me realize how hungry I was. I stand there, confused, just staring at the squirrel. It stares right back at me.

All of a sudden, a crazy thought flashes into my mind. _Maybe I can try to hunt it... Just like the Warrior cats did!_

Then I shook my head in disgust, trying to clear away those thoughts._ Come on, Rachel! You are _not_ a real cat! That is disgusting! Humans don't eat raw squirrel meat..._

The cat part of me argued with the human part of me. _If you don't hunt that squirrel, you will probably starve and never see your family again. Think! _My human side surrendered.

I try to remember what tips they had said about hunting in the books. _Your weight in your haunches... Tail straight... Smart and stealthy..._

I quietly start to stalk the squirrel. It had gone back to nibbling its nuts, so it would be distracted when I pounce. Unfortunately, My belly gave another mighty rumble and the squirrel took off. Without thinking, I chased it the way I was heading, still next to the stream.

It was a little weird at first; running like a cat, chasing a squirrel, but in the end I had no choice. Still not used to my new feline body, the squirrel started to run farther and farther away. I kept chasing it, until I tripped on a tree root and was flung into the air.

Time seemed to slow down as I was in the air. I was pushed down into the stream beside me, landing with a big _sploosh_!

The stream was icy cold.

Rushing water crashed around me, roaring in my delicate ears. I tried to stand up, but the current was too strong and I was uselessly carried downstream.

My fluffy kitten fur was weighing me down. I tried thrashing my paws in the cold water, trying to keep my head up, but it was no use. I was flipping and flailing in the stream, and all I could do was try to call for help.

Suddenly, I was launched into the air again, and I quickly gulped for breath as I crash back down into another body of water.

This wet place was very calm, compared to the stream that I almost died in. I realized that I was in a lake, and that I was slowly sinking to the bottom.

Panicking, I tried to swim to the surface of the water, but my already wet fur was weighting a ton. I frantically tried to wiggle like a tadpole, but the harder I tried, the more I would sink. And I was sinking fast.

My lungs were now on fire. A few more seconds of my head under these waters will cause my lungs to burst. I gave up trying to save myself and waited for the everlasting darkness to come and claim me. Everything that has happened these past couple days had been enough for a 13 year-old girl/four month-old cat.

As I sunk deeper and deeper, a voice that wasn't mine seemed to whisper in my ear. _Don't give up now, you still have a life to live..._ the voice murmured.

_No I don't,_ I shot back. _My life is over and everything around me has crumbled. Look at what happened when I acted like a real cat! I chased a squirrel, I fell into the stream and now I'm drowning in a lake._

_Don't give up now,_ the voice repeated. _Think of your mother... Your brother... What would they want you to do?_

Thinking about my family gave me a newfound strength. I gave a mighty kick and I paddled to the surface of the water as fast as I could. When my face broke through the water, gasping for air, the voice whispered, _We shall meet again._

"Wait! Don't leave!" I mewed aloud, but I felt the presence of the voice leaving my side. Determined to find my family again, I paddled strongly back to shore.

When my feet touch the soft sand of the bank, I collapse. Barely conscious, I close my eyes to help with the dizziness. The world started to spin around me. Laying my head on the grass, I wonder where and who the weird voice was in my head. It had given me newfound strength, and for that, I am grateful. Maybe I can continue the search for my family now...

But somewhere in my heart, I could tell that the car crash that happened two days ago was the last time I'd ever see my family again.

I sniffed and lay my head on my paws as the world seemed to stop twirling around me. I open my tear-stained eyes and look around. It was a beautiful sight.

To my left, there was a vast moor with the faint outline of mountains in the distance. The was a farm and pastures a little to the side, with great galloping horses trotting around.

Right in front of me across the lake, there was a place similar to the moor, but it looked more wet. It looked like there were dunes and reeds almost everywhere, and there was a small island beside it. There were a couple of docks here and there, which led me to believe that there was a human city somewhere not too far away.

Next to me, on my right, there was a vast pine forest with just a couple marshes here and there. It looked like a shadowy place, and I hoped that I would never have to go in there.

Lastly, there was a leafy forest in back of me, full of the pitter-patter of tiny beings scurrying around in the undergrowth. The sweet scent of the forest made my stomach growl again, reminding me that I hadn't eaten in a whole day.

I made up my mind. I would journey to the farm in the moor, and maybe the farmer will like to have a cat like me living with him, keeping the mice away from the barn. I sighed, knowing that it was my only hope in surviving. At least I would have a shelter and a roof over my head...

I stood up, but almost immediately a wave of lightheadedness crashed into me and I toppled over with a squeak. My head spun, and I knew that I was still very weak from my little water excursion. My vision went fuzzy and I groaned. _Why me?_ I silently asked.

Suddenly, I feel myself being lifted off the ground with a squeak. Something had picked me up by the scruff of my neck. I hoped that it was a human that came to help me, but after everything today, you can never be too sure.

I then felt myself swinging side to side a little bit, which meant that the thing that was holding me was carrying me somewhere else. A few moments pass and I feel myself place back onto the ground.

My 'saviour' had placed me back in the leafy forest. I was in a little clearing, a little way from the stream that I got washed away in earlier. I turn around to look at whatever had picked me up, and I let out a shocked squeal when I figured out what it was.

Its jaws drooled with saliva. His dark russet fur was fluffed out to make him look twice as big as he already was. His eyes gleamed hungrily as he licked his lips, already imagining how good I would taste down its throat. I wanted to flee, but the menacing gaze of that creature had rooted me to the spot.

Fox.

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><p><strong><em>Heh heh... Don't forget to review!<em>**


	3. Chapter 3 - Fox Attack

Chapter 3

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><p>I stare right in the eyes of that evil mammal. Its cold eyes gleam cruelly in the midmorning sun. Now, if I was still a human, I would probably attempt to take a picture of it on my phone before it would scamper away, but since I was now a cat, I only felt paralyzing fear.<p>

The fox licked his lips, and I realized with a jolt why it had brought me here. I was weak, tired and defenceless; a perfect prey for it's hungry belly.

"HELP!" I yowled, tears of terror pouring down my face. I finally came to my senses; I stood up and sprinted away as fast as I could.

I heard a snarl behind me, and I knew that the fox had given pursuit. I scampered deeper into the heart of the orange-leafed forest.

My heart beating faster than ever, I ran harder than I ever have, even though the dizziness from before had come back. The world spinning, my paws thudding, I thought that I would collapse. But for the sake of my life, I kept running.

I could tell that the hungry fox was catching up, and I knew that I could not outrun a creature like that forever, especially not in this state. So, hoping to confuse it, I took a sharp turn into a denser part of the forest, hoping that he would lose me and continue on with his bloodthirsty life.

I later realized that I forgot that I left a scent trail and that a fox was able to smell.

When I thought that I had lost the fox, I crouched and lay my head down on the soft fuzzy grass for a few moments to help steady the everlasting dizziness that flooded my brain.

Heartbeats later, I heard the undergrowth starting to crack and a horribly familiar smell wafted into my nose. My eyes wide, I quickly looked around and saw a large oak tree. With no time to think, I ran to it, determined to climb it and get away from the quickly-approaching fox.

I jumped up onto the tree and dug my small, sharp claws into its tough bark.

Climbing it was harder than I thought. You would think that with claws and a tail it would be easier, but it wasn't. My kitten-claws were to small; I had to stretch them so much that it hurt to climb.

The fox jumped and swiped me off the oak tree with one of its ginormous paws. I fell to the ground with a hard and very painful _thump_.

My shoulder stung from where the fox had swiped it. I tried to stand up, but I let out a yowl of agony when I stood back on my front right paw. I didn't need a doctor- or a vet in my case- to tell that the fall had broken it. There was absolutely no way that I could run away from the fox now.

The evil russet predator loomed over me, casting a large shadow over my fluffy ginger body. Tears of pain in my eyes, I struggled to stand up, but I would only collapse like deadweight.

The fox licked his hungry lips triumphantly, having finally cornered his prey. His cold amber gaze reflected the light of the sunset poking through the trees. I thought sadly that this would probably be the last one I see.

I let out a shrill wail. "Help! Help me! Anybody!" I screamed at the top of my lungs and the fox dove on top of me.

The fox's talons pierced my sides and I let out another cry of pain. I could feel the blood pouring down my sides. The world started to spin again, and I closed my eyes, waiting for the claws of the fox to rake down my throat and remove me from my misery.

The fox's fangs were advancing on my limp shape when I heard whispers not too far away. The funny part was that I could understand them. I strained my ears to try to listen to the other creatures's conversation.

" - have to help!" a young voice pleaded. "She'll die out there! She's only a little kit!"

"But we can't risk our own lives," a more older female voice answered. "We've already lost four of us these past two moons."

"I agree with Rosepetal. We should go get some help first," a male voice responded.

_Rosepetal? ... What...?_

"No! During that time, the poor kit'll get killed! We have to go now!" the young voice argued. "C'mon; we have to save her!"

"I agree with Cherrypaw! We should never leave a young kit alone, especially in danger! It's in the Warrior Code!" a new young male voice yowled.

_Huh? ...Cherrypaw? Warrior... Warrior Code? W...What's going on?_

"Alright. Let's not waste time!"

I noticed four shapes hurling themselves at the growling fox. The shapes were smaller than the fox, and I was sure that they were the voices that I heard...

The next part was kind of a blur. I wasn't really able to focus, and I knew that my consciousness was drifting away again. The voice-shapes were yowling and scratching the fox, and the russet beast hissed and tried to defend itself. The world spun around again, and I closed my eyes. I was only half-conscious now...

A few moments later, I heard the fox whine and the thud of his paws leaving this battleground. My rescuers came up to me, but I could no longer move a muscle, just like in the car accident. My paw hurt, my shoulder stung, and my ribs ached.

Someone bent over me and sniffed. "She's hurt. We should bring her back to camp. Jayfeather will know what to do."

And my consciousness left me.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Spicy scents reached my nose and my eyes flew open. "Huh?"

I looked around. It appeared that I was in a cave-of-sorts, lying on top of a soft moss bed lined with some feathers. The bittersweet scent that lingered in my nostrils came from the cave wall; it was lined up neatly with all different sorts of plants.

I narrowed my eyes. Where was I?

I heaved myself to my paws. My paw didn't hurt as much anymore, it just ached a little. It was wrapped in some sort of cast made out of leaves and it was held together with some sticky spider webs. I silently prayed that there were no spiders in them. I hate spiders.

I also noticed that my shoulder and my sides were wrapped too. With my teeth, I gently peeled the sticky web off my shoulder and spat it to the ground. I examined it closely. It looked as though someone placed it on as if it was a Band-Aid. Who could have put this on me?

All of a sudden, I heard a cheerful voice calling from outside the little sanctuary. "Great! You're awake!"

I squeaked and tumbled over in surprise. A sweet giggle reached my ears and I felt myself blush under my new fur. I grunted and stood up again.

I eyes flew wide open in shock to what I saw next. I stared as a pretty brown cat walked- no, dragged herself into the cave-thingy. She was heaving herself forward with her two front paws; her back legs seemed utterly useless.

_Could it be...?_

"My name is Briarlight," the she-cat meowed. "It's alright, little kit. I heard about what happened with the fox. You're safe now, in the ThunderClan camp." She smiled.

I stare at her in awe. I almost fell over again in shock.

_Briarlight? Is that really you? And am I in the real ThunderClan camp? You guys are... real? _I felt like saying. But that would seem a little weird. And that would require a lot of explanations.

I was lost for words. "Uh, um, ah..." I felt like a complete bumbling idiot. Briarlight smiled reassuringly. "It's ok," she murmured, nuzzling her head into my side. "You should lie down and rest. You were badly hurt in the battle with the fox. I'll go get Jayfeather to come in and check on you." With that, she dragged herself outside.

_Woah! Jayfeather is here?! So that must mean... _My eyes grew bigger. _I really _am_ in ThunderClan! Does that means that Bramblestar and Dovewing and Leafpool are here too?!_

My head started to spin again. This was crazy! First, I get into a car crash. Second, I turn into a cat and third, I wind up into my favourite book series!? What crazy madness was this?

I hear a grunt from the entrance of the den. I turn around. Standing there in the half-light was a partially-fluffy grey tabby tom. I felt like cuddling him so bad; it's hard to resist petting all these kitties!

The cat's blue eyes seemed to stare into the nothingness. I realized with a jolt that this must be Jayfeather, the blind medicine cat of ThunderClan!

The grumpy sightless cat grunted. "Sit down. Let me check your wounds," he said in a unsatisfied way. I frowned. I knew the blind medicine cat was grumpy, but not _this_ much. I sat down on the moss bed underneath me, still not believing my eyes or my ears. I still couldn't believe it! I was in _ThunderClan_!

Jayfeather brought me some herbs to chew as he changed my cobweb splints. The plants were disgusting, but I ate them anyway.

We sat in a few moments of silence before the grey cat asked, "Where did you come from?"

Having read all the books from the series and knowing Jayfeather's 'Prophecy of Three' power, I was surprised for some reason. I thought that since he could technically read my thoughts and memories, I would think he knew my secret 'Twoleg Problem'. Yet when I looked at his face, I saw his face buzzing with surprise, curiosity and anger (for some reason).

"I, uh, um... I don't remember," I replied, hoping to fool the medicine cat. Jayfeather sighed, and I took that as a 'Yes, I believe you" sort-of sigh. He stood up, shook the moss away from his pelt and he walked towards the entrance of the den. I yawned, to show him that I was tired as he whisked swiftly out of his den.

I lay my head down on the moss. Why hadn't Jayfeather's power worked on me? Did it have anything to do with my old human self?

I shook my head, arguing with myself. This was a lot to carry in. I still couldn't believe that I was a cat...

My eyes close, and it turned out that I was already exhausted. All these questions that are buzzing through my brain seem to be taking my energy away, so I close my eyes and drift off to sleep.

In my dream, I was on the moor, sitting on some sort of large flat rock. I was human again, and I let the wind blow through my shirt and tangle my long red hair. I hear voices from not to far away and I turn around to look behind me. Padding about ten feet away from me were two black cats, male and female. Even though in my dream I was a human, I could understand these cats as if they were the same animal as me.

"I will get revenge on the Clans! I tell you, they will all be dead by the time I'm through with them!" the male cat roared, an aura of anger and hatred came bursting out of his body, and it was hard to believe that such cute creatures could show so much negative emotions. The female didn't reply, but her amber eyes gleamed viciously and a snarl was displayed across her lips.

I tried to stand up and tell them that there is no need to hate the Clan cats, but I now seemed frozen in place. I tried to scream as loud as I could, but the cats didn't seem to hear. I didn't even think that they knew I was present.

Suddenly, that dream disappeared into blackness. I couldn't see anything, just like that moment in the car crash. A flash of crimson light up in my eyes and I heard a bloodfreezing yowl of pain, grief and terror. My body tensed up and my eyes widened. Now, I just wanted to wake up...

The yowl was then replaced by a soft humming sound. _Beware of the rogues..._ the wind seemed to whisper. _Beware..._

I woke up immediately, blood cold and fear in my eyes. Then, I heard some quick muffled whispers coming from outside the den.


	4. Chapter 4 - Meeting the Clan

Chapter 4

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><p>I narrowed my eyes and swivelled my ears towards the direction of the whispers. I tried to figure out who was talking, but I didn't really know anybody yet, so it was hard.<p>

"I'm confused... I know that my power still worked after the Great Battle, but I wasn't able to read a simple kit's thoughts! Do you think that it's starting to fade?" a worried voice murmured. I could tell it was Jayfeather.

"Nonsense. Your power would not just randomly fade. But the moment they brought her into camp, I had this feeling... This kit is definitely more than we think she is... But the question is... Why?"

It was a deep male voice. Perhaps it was Lionblaze!

"Look, there's nothing we can do except for watching and listening closely. I would keep an eye on her if I were you, Bramblestar."

It was Bramblestar! "Alright. But if StarClan sends you anything; a dream or a prophecy, I want to know about it. Understand?"

Jayfeather must've nodded because the other cat, Bramblestar, gave a grunt of satisfaction before I heard his pawsteps fading away. Jayfeather sighed and trudged himself back into the den.

He flopped on a bed of moss beside me and sighed. I stayed silent as I watched the blind medicine cat's flank rise and fall.

I thought he fell asleep, but a few moments later, he grumbled, "What's your name, anyway?"

I didn't have time to come up with a rogue name like Rosie or something, so I just mumbled my real name. "Rachel."

Jayfeather snorted. "Stupid! Why would a mother want to name their kit Ratshell?"

I couldn't hold it in. I let out a comical huff. "Not Ratshell, it's Rachel! It's a different type of name than yours, obviously." I grinned.

Jayfeather snorted again. "Whatever. Now leave me alone." I rolled my eyes in annoyance as the grumpy cat closed his eyes.

But as soon as the tabby fell asleep, small paws ran into the den, sending vibrations through the floor. I lifted my head, curious, and Jayfeather bellowed in rage. "Can't a busy and blind medicine cat get any sleep around here?!"

The cat standing over them was bigger than I but smaller than Jayfeather. She grinned at me before turning to face the cranky healer. Jayfeather opened his mouth to yell at her some more, but another cat ran into the den at that same moment.

This cat was the same size as the other one, but he was a male and was a brown-cream colour instead of a light cream shade. He panted as he shot an apologetic glance at the medicine cat. "I'm sorry about her... Again... I knew that she would disturb you, I knew it-"

"It's ok, Molepaw. I understand. Cherrypaw has her own way of doing things..." Jayfeather grumbled. My eyes widened. I was looking at the only ThunderClan apprentices during the Great War!

The cream she-cat, Cherrypaw, shouted. "Hey! You know I could hear you, you know!" I purred, which felt strange, like a rumble in my throat.

Molepaw looked down at his feet. "She wanted to see the kit, you see... Since, you know..."

I piped up, since they were now talking about me. "About what?" But no one answered me.

Jayfeather grunted. "Fine. You guys talk. I'll go collect some herbs from the abandoned Twolegplace while you two have your little chat. But when I come back, both of you better be out!" Then he stormed out of the den, just like that.

As soon as his tail-tip was out of sight, Molepaw sighed and started to scold his sister. "I can't believe you just did that! You knew that he worked really hard the past two days when we had our wounds, and this is how you repay him?! We'll never be warriors if you keep being the way you are!"

Cherrypaw grinned but said nothing. Then, she turned her furry head and stared at me. My ears flattened and I sunk deeper into the moss. Her amber eyes softened as she gazed on me.

Molepaw and Cherrypaw sat down next to me. Cherrypaw seemed to ask a lot of questions without waiting for an answer.

"What's your name? Where did you come from? How old are you? Why-"

"Shut up! Can't you see, she's still hurt, you know! She's still in shock from the fox attack." It certainly didn't feel that way to me, though. I think that the reason I was shocked was that the warrior cats actually... _cared_ about me.

Cherrypaw closed her mouth. A few moments of silence went by, until I decided to break it. "Why did you guys want to see me?" I squeaked.

Molepaw smiled. "Me, along with Cherrypaw and our mentors, Rosepetal and Foxleap, saw you and the fox in that clearing and ran to help. So... We just wanted to make sure that you were okay," Molepaw replied casually.

I couldn't believe my ears. "Wow! Really?" I couldn't help but blurt out. Cherrypaw nodded. Then I remembered that day when the fox pinned me down, and I heard four voices talking together... That must've been them! I vaguely remembered how they argued about helping or not, and I realized that it was Cherrypaw and Molepaw who convinced their mentors to come in and help...

I blushed. "Thanks," I muttered awkwardly. I wish that I could've said something more, but that 'thanks' was the one that I meant the most. I guess that it's better living as a cat then dying.

Cherrypaw purred and Molepaw smiled. "It was no big deal. That threat seemed small compared to the one that we fought two moons ago..."

He explained about the whole Great Battle and how he and his sister were messengers. It was interesting to hear the story from Molepaw's point-of-view, since he ran around to all the Clans and wasn't actually in the fighting. His sister would sometimes add a little fact, but for most of the story, she was silent.

"At the end of the battle, we had lost four of our cats; Hollyleaf, Ferncloud, Mousefur and our old leader, Firestar." Molepaw finished with a sniff. "We'll never forget them."

Cherrypaw looked at the ground. "We hadn't had a Gathering since then because all the Clans were tending their wounded, grieving their dead and rebuilding their camps. We only finished our reconstruction a quarter-moon ago!" she pointed out.

I nodded in understanding. I asked them a little more about their Clan life, just so that it seemed as if I knew nothing about ThunderClan, WindClan, RiverClan and ShadowClan. They happily explained everything to me; from their old home down to the very last warrior code.

Soon, the sky grew darker and it was time for the two apprentices to go on the dusk patrol. I bid them goodbye as they scampered out the den. I yawned once more and my head flopped down as I curled into a little ball. I only woke up once when I heard a grumbling Jayfeather walk in, complaining about the Clan's kits.

I smiled. Maybe I could make a few friends here in ThunderClan before I left. Who knows; maybe being a cat isn't so bad...

* * *

><p>When I woke up, Jayfeather had already gone. Judging by his stale smell, he left at the crack of dawn. I sniffed the air once more, and I realized that I wasn't alone in the den. Briarlight was sleeping next to me, and a dark brown tabby's eyes shone in the shadows of the den. I jumped back, afraid.<p>

The big cat's throat rumbled, and I thought that it was growling at me. I limped backwards, eyes wide. Then, I realized that the amber-eyed feline was purring. Pelt burning with embarassment, I let the fur on my back lie flat.

"Hello, kit. I am Bramblestar, the leader of ThunderClan. Jayfeather told me a little about you... Your name is Ratshell, yes?"

Wow! It was really Bramblestar! In the half-light, I couldn't really see him that well, but I could just make out the shape of his muscular shoulders and his powerful paws. I was staring at Firestar's trustful old deputy, mate of the fiery leader's own daughter. I swallowed and awkwardly bubbled, "Rachel."

I could tell that the leader was smiling. "You look a little like Squirrelflight. She's my one and only love..." He muttered in his deep voice as if I didn't know about their relationship. Of course I knew. But I didn't tell him.

The great ThunderClan leader cleared his throat. "Are your wounds feeling alright? Do they hurt?" he asked. My ribs were healing well and they didn't hurt that much, but my paw and my shoulder ached quite a bit. "They're fine," I gasped, trying to sound strong. Bramblestar nodded, yet concern clouded his gaze anyway.

After a few moments, he asked, "Would you like to see the ThunderClan camp?"

My heart almost flew out of my chest. "Of course! I read- uh, Molepaw and Cherrypaw told me about how great it was and everything, with the protective walls and the stone and stuff!" My excitement bursted out of me. My dream was to see the Clan's camp, and I can now actually do it! _And_ with Bramblestar as my guide!

The leader purred again. "Let's start the tour, shall we?" He grinned and whisked out of the den. I hobbled after him as fast as my feline legs would go.

I stepped outside the medicine cat den and I gasped. The ThunderClan camp was so... _Beautiful_.

The camp was surrounded by a thick wall of stone. The rocks were a rusted colour, kind of like an old orange. In one part near the top of one of the walls was a small cave, which I guessed was where Bramblestar slept.

There were great walls of thorn and bramble thickets guarding two entrances of the camp; the bigger one, I'm guessing the main entrance, and the smaller one which did not smell pleasant. The Dirtplace.

Bramblestar was sitting next to a big tree that fell into the camp a while back. I remembered reading about this tree; this was the oak that killed Longtail and injured Briarlight.

I scampered next to the ThunderClan leader as he pointed to the roots of the fallen tree. The roots were covered with fern and branch weavings to shelter whatever was inside from the harsh winds and rain.

"This is one of the two warrior's dens that we have. This oak fell into the camp not so long ago, killing one of our elders and injuring Briarlight. That's why she can to longer walk and run on all four paws," he pointed out. I nodded in understanding. "Where's the other warrior's den?" I asked.

Bramblestar's tail pointed to a bush near the edge of the camp. "There's a bunch of dens under there. It may seem cold on frozen Leaf-bare nights, but when all the cats are huddled up together, we can preserve the warmth with our body heat. Same goes for the apprentices den, which is right over there by a clump of nettles," he explained.

I narrowed my eyes. "Don't _you_ ever get all cold, all alone in your nest?" I wondered aloud. Bramblestar shrugged and answered, "I'm not quite sure. I haven't been a leader for too long, and this will be my first Leaf-bare as the ThunderClan leader. If I ever do get cold, however, I could just invite my mate in my den and we can spend the night together," he said. He turned away and padded towards a juniper berry bush as I rolled my eyes. All this talk about his mate seemed like he was bragging about it.

I caught up with him and he showed me the elder's den. I peeked inside for half-a-second before Bramblestar dragged me away. I caught a glimpse of a scrawny mottled brown tabby cat who I guessed was Purdy, the only living ThunderClan elder.

Bramblestar brought me next to the nursery, which was right on the side of the fallen tree. "This is where the queens take care of their kits."

I looked at the den which was delicately woven together. I heard a small mew of excitement coming from inside, and my heart leaped. Kittens!

"Can I, uh, go in and, um, see...?" I mewed. Bramblestar thought for a moment, then nodded. "If it's okay with the queens inside!" he purred. I grinned back and squeezed into the den.

_Whoa._ The den was a lot bigger than I thought! Three queens lay on beds made of soft moss and feathers; two were awake watching about five kits play while the other one, a golden and white she-cat, was asleep, her back turned on me so I could not see her face.

As soon as I came to view, the two other queens, along with the kits, looked at me. I gulped, suddenly afraid. Would they not like me? Are they afraid that this strange cat standing in front of them might harm their kits?

For what seemed like eternity, the cats in the den stared at me. I felt myself going red under my thick pelt. I glanced at one of the kits, a small grey tom, and he did not seem impressed. I must've disturbed the kit's fun game. I shrunk back in embarrassment.

Suddenly, one of the queens, a tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat, started to purr. I was taken aback. For a moment, I thought that these cats would not like me for disturbing them. Turns out, I was wrong.

The other queen, a plump grey one, grinned at me. I grinned back, knowing that I was not going to be chased out of the den. I sighed in relief.

The tortoiseshell queen look at her kits, then at me. "Hello, little one! I'm Sorreltail, one of ThunderClan's queens, and these are my kits, Lilykit and Seedkit." The oldest queen pointed to the two biggest kits in the group, and they waved back at me with their tails. My eyes shot open. _Sorreltail!_

The grey queen spoke next. "None of these kits are mine, sadly," she purred. Her voice was as smooth as honey. "I just moved into the nursery a quarter-moon ago. I'm Cinderheart, by the way," she finished. I smiled at the pregnant queen. Those kits in her belly must be Lionblaze's.

I dipped my head to the queens. "Nice to meet you! I'm Rachel." Sorreltail grinned. "So polite!" Cinderheart whispered. "I hope that mine are like that!"

One of the kits, a fluffy white kit, stood up. He was so cute, I just wanted to hold him in my arms! Yet at the moment, I didn't have any.

The kit squeaked, "I'm Snowkit. That's my sister, Amberkit," he nudged a pale ginger she-kit who squeaked in surprise, "and over there is Dewbutt, my brother," he finished as he gestured towards the grumpy grey tom that glared at me before.

Dewkit growled. "My name isn't Dewbutt! It's Dewwonderful. You are Snowdumb!" Dew kit retorted. Snowkit roared in anger. "No one calls me Snowdumb!"

The two brothers wrestled each other on the bed of moss closest to the nursery entrance. I watched, wide-eyed as Dewkit attempted to chew Snowkit's tail off. The white kit yelped and struck Dewkit across the face with sheathed claws.

I heard a sigh behind me and I turned around. A very pale ginger she-kit rolled her eyes as she watched the two kits play. That was Lilykit.

"They do this almost twice every day. Frankly, they do it so much that we don't even bother to bother anymore!" Seedkit complained to me. I looked at Sorreltail's two kits. They looked almost six moons old; they were probably ready for apprenticeship soon.

"Shush! Snowkit, Dewkit, you'll wake your mother up if you continue this racket!" Cinderheart warned the lively bunch. I blinked in surprise. I completely forgot about the sleeping queen! And not only that, that cat was... Brightheart?

A few moments later, the two tom kits were standing side-by-side, rasping for breath and looking utterly exhausted. Dewkit flopped on his bed of moss and soon started to snore. I giggled, never knowing how stubborn kittens could be. Instead of falling asleep like his brother, though, Snowkit had other plans.

He scampered towards the sleeping blob of white-and-ginger fur that was his mother. "Don't do it!" whispered Cinderheart, but it was too late. Snowkit jumped on top of Brightheart, as the queens, Amberkit and I gasped.

"Hmpf..." Brightheart grumbled sleepily as Snowkit nudged her ribs. "C'mon, c'mon, I want to show you someone!"

Immediately, Brightheart started to panic. "What? Now? B-but my face!" she wailed and covered her head with her paws before I could catch a glimpse. I actually forgot all about Brightheart's face, and I realized that I was going to actually see it for real.

Snowkit kept nudging his trembling mother. "Please Mom, I don't care what you look like! It's what's on the inside that matters. And if Ray-shall can't see that, then she's a big old piece of fox dung!" Brightheart smiled; I could see the corners of her lips moving. What Snowkit must've said must've really inspired her... It inspired me, that's for sure.

Slowly, Brightheart turned to face me.

From what the books explained, they made it sound like the skin was all torn and bloody and that she literally had no ears. But Brightheart was definitely more pretty than that.

About one quarter of her face was covered in scars and skin where no hair would ever grow. Both of her white ears were shredded. One of her eyes was no longer in its proper place, but she seemed like quite a cat nonetheless. Brightheart's eye was filled with sadness.

Instead of staring at the mangled side of her face, I looked her straight in the eye. "You must've been so brave," I managed to murmur, and Brightheart's eye filled with happiness as I looked at her with admiration. I meant what I said; she was probably the bravest cat in all the Clans. "Thank you," she whispered.

Just as I was about to leave, I felt a huge fluffy ball of fur fly on top of me. I fell down, choking in all that fluff. The kitten that was on top of me, Snowkit, let out a playful growl. "Evilstar! How dare you trespass on GreatClan's territory! You will pay!" Snowkit yowled. I smirked. He wanted to play, so I'll give him something to play with...

"This will be BadClan's territory now, Awesomestar! Prepare to die!" I roared. Snowkit growled. "Well, do you have some warriors with you? I do!" He looked at his littermates who were watching the game. "Ambertail, Dewbutt! Let's teach her a lesson!" Snowkit shouted the warrior names that he had made up himself. Amberkit playfully hopped over next to her white brother, but Dewkit, who was rudely awakened, grumbled and, surprisingly, stood next to me.

Snowkit was confused. "Dewbutt, I thought you were a GreatClan cat! You traitor!" Snowkit yowled as he flung himself at his brother. "Let the battle begin!" I yelled as I ran into Amberkit.

I swiped at Amberkit's shoulders, claws sheathed, but she managed to duck my blow as she pushed my hind legs. They collapsed, and Amberkit had me pinned down in a matter of seconds. I went limp in defeat as she yowled her victory, but it didn't last too long. I kicked her belly and she stumbled. We were both of the floor, laughing as we watched Amberkit's brothers tussle around.

"Those two are so immature," grumbled Lilykit and Seedkit let out a snort in response. In a few minutes, Dewkit had Snowkit pinned down and the two kits were both panting hard.

"That'll teach you for calling me Dewbutt!" Dewkit snickered and Snowkit growled. "BadClan won!" Amberkit yowled, even though she was on the other team. I grinned. Even though I was older than them in my human years, it was actually fun playing with these kits. I told the queens in the den that I was going to leave now, and they nodded in understanding. "Have fun finishing your tour!" Cinderheart purred.

Amberkit looked at me with her big amber eyes. "Y-you'll come back, won't you?" she whispered. Truthfully, I wasn't sure. I had to go look for my family, my _real_ family, so I could not stay here. But maybe I could stay for an extra week before I go. "Sure," I smiled at her. She grinned at me before scampering back to her mother, who looked at me with gratefulness. I dipped my head and ran back outside.

Bramblestar waited for me by the main entrance tunnel. "How'd it go?" he wondered. I couldn't help but purr. "It was great! The queens are really nice, and the kits are fun to play with. Well, Dewkit seemed a little grumpy like Jayfeather, but I think that everybody else liked me!" I blurted out.

The tabby tom purred. "That's great!" he laughed. "And, well... Listen." He shuffled his paws on the ground as he tried to explain.

"You see, these past couple moons we lost four valuable warriors. We need more cats to survive, and it takes a while before kits are ready to become apprentices. So I was wondering, well..." He sighed.

"Would you like to join ThunderClan?"


	5. Chapter 5 - The Ceremonies

Chapter 5

* * *

><p>"Would you like to join ThunderClan?" The words repeated in my head. I stared up and the leader, surprise in my gaze. Bramblestar wanted <em>me<em> to join ThunderClan?

The leader stared at his paws like a kit that just got in trouble. "I don't like to admit this, but ThunderClan is weak without new warriors," he mumbled, embarrassed. "I know that three of our best are going to join the elders soon, and the kits we have right now might not be able to replace them," he continued.

I pictured in my head a lazy Graystripe, an angry Dustpelt and a grumpy Sandstorm lounging in the elders den. I frowned. It was close to impossible to imagine sweet old Sandstorm being mean to the apprentices and kits, but I knew that that was the circle of a warrior's life.

I looked up at Bramblestar, uncertainty in my wavering gaze. "Bramblestar, I would love to accept the offer, but I have to search for my mother and my brother," I sadly explained to the dark tabby. "They're my only family, and it would kill me if I lost them forever..." I trailed off. It was the truth. Well, most of it; my father was still around, somewhere in the vast world. He left my mother when Damien and I where four months old; he was gone without a note or goodbye. My mother was still sad about it sometimes, but we keep promising her that we are here for her, always. She always smiled and ruffled our hair.

But I can't keep my promise if I'm not next to her. It will brake my heart to leave the Clan that cared for me, but it was the truth. I had to find out what turned me into a cat, switch back and start the search for my family.

Bramblestar sighed unhappily, then nodded. "I'm sorry that you couldn't stay. You should go on ahead and search for your family; it's one of the most important things in life. But if you ever decide to return, ThunderClan will welcome you back."

I smiled sadly. "Thank you for understanding, Bramblestar. I know that I haven't been here for long, but I am grateful for the time that I spent here." I dipped my head and started to trudge back to the medicine cat's den for some sleep. For some reason, the kit play-battle had worn me out, even though it only lasted a few minutes.

Before I laid my head down on my nest, Bramblestar poked his head through the den entrance. "When will you be leaving?" he asked.

"One week," I decided. That way I could still live with the Clan for a little and keep my promise to Amberkit. Bramblestar nodded and left the den.

I was about to fall asleep when I heard a voice yowl, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" I groaned. Bramblestar couldn't have had better timing.

I sleepily padded out of the den, accompanied by Briarlight who dragged herself behind me. I saw a lot of cats coming out of their dens and entering the camp through the gorse tunnels. I spotted Amberkit, Dewkit and Snowkit sitting beside their mother, and they all looked as sleepy as I was. I purred and limped over to sit next to Amberkit, who whispered, "What's this all about?" "I have no clue," I replied as the last of the cats sat down.

Bramblestar began to speak. "As you all know, there was a fox who attacked a young kit about two days ago. She is still in the camp, but she will leave in a week to continue the search for her family," he meowed. Snowkit whined. "Do you _have_ to go?" he whispered. "It was fun to play with you!" "Hush! She has her reasons. Let's enjoy the last week of her," Brightheart muttered to her kit.

Bramblestar continued. "During the fox attack, four of our brave members were managed to chase it out of our territory. Now, two of those cats who are apprenticed," he glanced at Cherrypaw and Molepaw," fought bravely and I have discussed with their mentors. Tonight, they shall receive their warrior names."

My eyes flew wide with happiness as the Clan cheered, "Molepaw! Cherrypaw!" The two apprentices were so happy and proud, and they puffed out their chests in triumph.

They walked over to the Highrock, getting fussed all over by a cat who must've been their mother, Poppyfrost. A cream-coloured tom stood next to her, beaming in pride as he watched his kits be made warriors. I guessed that that was Berrynose.

"I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon our warrior ancestors to look down on these two apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the was of your noble code, and we commend you as warriors in their turn."

"Cherrypaw, Molepaw, do promise to uphold the warrior code and protect this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do!" Cherrypaw yowled in excitement. Molepaw echoed his sister, except a little more calmly. I waited in anticipation to hear their new warrior names.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Molepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Molefur. StarClan honours your bravery and your intelligence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Bramblestar rested his muzzle on top of the new warrior's head, and Molefur calmly licked the leader's shoulder, eyes swimming with pride.

"Cherrypaw. From this moment on you shall be known as Cherryleaf. StarClan honours your courage and your enthusiasm, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan," Bramblestar finished. Happiness bubbled up inside her as Bramblestar touched his nose on her head.

"Molefur! Cherryleaf!" the Clan called as the two new warriors sat there, beaming. I joined in to the cheering even though I wasn't part of the Clan. I was happy that two of my saviours finally got their warrior names.

After the cheering died down, Bramblestar continued to speak. "I don't think that this will be the only ceremony that we shall perform today..." His gaze flickered to Lilykit and Seedkit. The two she-kit's eyes widened, and Sorreltail knew exactly what Bramblestar was going to do. "Let me fix your fur!" Sorreltail cried frantically as the two kits go shakily to their paws. They managed to squeeze past their mother, only half of their pelt groomed.

"They look like a mess!" Sorreltail whispered as the ceremony began.

"By turning kits into apprentices, we show that ThunderClan is strong. Lilykit, you shall now be known as Lilypaw. Blossomfall, you are ready for your first apprentice, so you shall be Lilypaw's mentor."

A tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat stood up from the crowd, surprise in her gaze. She padded towards Lilypaw, who looked slightly nervous. "Don't worry," Blossomfall murmured. "We'll have a lot of fun!"

Next was Seedkit. She looked super excited compared to her sister, who had looked nervous. "Seedkit, from now on you shall be known as Seedpaw. Bumblestripe, your mentor Mousewhisker taught you very well. I hope that you pass on those qualities to your new apprentice."

A grey tom with dark tabby stripes padded forward. He touched noses with Seedpaw as she murmured, "This is gonna be so fun!"

"Lilypaw! Seedpaw!" the Clan cats chanted. Just like with the warrior ceremony, I joined in, feeling happy for the two newest apprentices.

As the cheering finally came to a stop, Bramblestar made one more announcement. "I know that most of you have forgotten, but the first Gathering since the Great Battle is tomorrow." Whispers flooded the clearing as Bramblestar continued. "I want all cats going to get an early night's sleep tonight. This Gathering is going to be long," he said. I realized that this will be Bramblestar's first Gathering as leader of ThunderClan.

"The cats whom I wish to go are: Sandstorm, Greystripe, Cloudtail, Brackenfur, Squirrelflight, Lionblaze, Dovewing, Jayfeather, Blossomfall, Bumblestripe, Lilypaw and Seedpaw," he listed. _Whoa_, I thought. _That a lot of names!_

"What about me, Bramblestar?" a voice next to me piped up. I turned around to see Snowkit on his feet, looking up at the Clan leader hopefully. Brightheart muttered, "Why does he always have to make a fool of himself?"

But the ThunderClan's leader just purred. "I'm sorry, Snowkit. But maybe next time you can come. The way to the Gathering is really long, and you might fall asleep on the way there!"

Snowkit looked like he was about to rudely respond, but Brightheart shoved her tail in his mouth before he could continue. I bit back a purr of laughter.

Bramblestar dipped his head. "Clan, dismissed. Squirrelflight, organize a dusk patrol, please," he asked his mate as the Clan broke up into smaller groups. A ginger she-cat called Toadstep, Thornclaw, Hazeltail and Ivypool by name and the four cats left for a patrol.

I spotted Cherryleaf and Molefur getting praised by their parents and a few other warriors. Amberkit and I padded over next to them.

The cream tom Berrynose was purring and praising his kits, and Poppyfrost was grinning. "Now you can sleep with us now, in the warrior's den!" she purred, but Berrynose looked at her with regret. "But they might not be sleeping in the same den as us, remember? Since there's now a senior warrior's den and a new warrior's den, they'll probably go to the one by the tree. Besides, they have their vigil, remember?" Poppyfrost nodded glumly and said goodbye to their kits before padding towards a large pile of prey.

I looked up at the new warriors. They looked so big already! "Um, congratulations! Those are great names by the way!" I mewed happily. Cherryleaf looked as though she would say something, but Molefur gave her a glare that reminded her to stop speaking. _That's right! _I remembered, _The vigil!_

Cherryleaf beamed at me, and I was glad for her and her brother. _I wonder what it would have been like if I was getting my own warrior name..._ I sigh. That could never happen. I had to go look for my family, and besides; I wasn't a real cat anyway!

Amberkit and I scampered away to go felicitate Seedpaw and Lilypaw, but they weren't anywhere. _Probably touring the territory,_ I though glumly.

I looked up at the sky. The sun had set over the lake and half of the sky was purple and etched with glimmering stars. I smiled. "The StarClan warriors are coming out now," I mewed to Amberkit, who nodded in agreement.

"The sky is so pretty tonight! I have to tell Brightheart!" she yowled, and ran off towards the nursery. I waited at the entrance of the nursery for a few moments, but she never came out. I snuck my head into the den and saw Snowkit, Dewkit and Amberkit curled up at their mother's belly, asleep. Cinderheart glanced from the kits to me and whispered, "You should get some rest, too." I yawned and nodded, remembering how tired I was. I said goodnight to the young queen before trudging off towards the medicine cat's den, where my fresh nest waited for me.

I climbed into the soft moss and lay my sleepy head down. Today has been quite a day!


	6. Chapter 6 - Tree Climbing

Chapter 6

* * *

><p>I yawned, stretched and opened my eyes. The sunny light shone through the medicine cat den's entrance, telling me that it was already past dawn. I stand up and look to the other corner of the den, where I see Jayfeather helping Briarlight do some exercises. I pad out of the den, not wanting to disturb them.<p>

Two days have past since the ceremonies took place. During that time, I had the honour of meeting some of the ThunderClan warriors such as Graystripe, Sandstorm, and Dovewing. And their personalities! Jayfeather is really grumpy, Purdy talks way to much and Berrynose truly is the most annoying cat I've ever met.

Also, I have made a great friend in Amberkit, while Snowkit sometimes joins in to our games. Dewkit just quietly watches us play from the sidelines with a scowl on his face. Even though he was on my side for the two-on-two battle we had, I still thinks that he doesn't like me. In fact, I don't think he really likes _anyone_.

I run into the camp, happy to see Cherryleaf and Amberkit talking near a pile of dead prey. I wince. When I was human, I wasn't a vegetarian or anything, but looking at the fresh-kill laying in a heap kind of made me want to throw up. So far, all I've eaten at camp are some sweet berries. Jayfeather calls them 'red berries', even though I know better than anybody that they were raspberries. But I didn't dare tell him or else he'd have a temper tantrum.

I hobble over to my friends. "How was the Gathering last night?" Amberkit piped up and Cherryleaf picked a shrew from the fresh-kill pile. My ears piked up, wanting to know what happened myself.

Cherryleaf trotted over to a clump of nettles, prey in her mouth and Amberkit and I followed. We sat down and waited for the newest warrior to finish her meal.

"Hmm... Where should I begin?" Cherryleaf wondered, having captured all of our attention. "Well, WindClan started the Gathering by announcing that their warriors Leaftail, Swallowtail and Webfoot died during the Great Battle, and that Ashfoot retired from being deputy thanks to her injuries. Whitetail is replacing her. Oh, can't forget that Sunstrike and Harespring will soon be parents!" Cherryleaf grinned, then her face fell. "Onestar told us that Breezepelt ran away from the Clans. He said that we should all keep one eye open for that traitor," she whispered. I shivered, and it was not from the cold.

"What about the other Clans?" Amberkit asked. Cherryleaf told us that Mistystar's Clan lost Graymist and Mintfur, and Mallownose later died of his wounds. "ShadowClan bitterly thanked ThunderClan for our help, even though they lost Ratscar, Snaketail and Tallpoppy, not to mention one of Pinenose's kits, Flowerkit. Oh, and Redwillow, too. But he was a traitor, so he doesn't count." I nodded. _So many cats gone..._

Cherryleaf took a last bite out of her shrew. "Hey! Cherryleaf!" a voice called from the entrance of the camp. We swung our heads around to see Squirrelflight standing there, looking tired. "Is it just me, or did I assign you a hunting patrol this morning?" the ginger she-cat grumbled. Cherryleaf grinned apologetically. "Oops," she purred. "Sorry. I have to go on patrol now," she told us, then she scampered away.

Amberkit frowned. "I wish I could go on hunting patrols like that. Exploring the forest, facing all these dangers..." She sighed dreamily.

I flattened my ears. "But it's really scary out there! My paw still hurts cause of the fox I met!" I cried out. Amberkit snorted. "Sure. Foxleap told me that you hurt your paw by falling down a tree." She snickered. "What type of cat can't climb?"

I growled playfully. "Hey, I was my first time trying! I bet that I could do so much better now," I defended myself. Amberkit's eyes lit up with a new idea.

"Why don't we have a contest? You know, to see who's the better climber? C'mon, it'll be fun! Look, we could even invite sleepy Snowkit to participate!" She grinned and the thought of a new game. But I wasn't so sure. "But... You know... My paw still hurts and stuff," I mumbled, but the feisty she-kit didn't seem to care. "Fight through the pain like a real warrior! Let's go wake up Snowkit!" She raced towards the nursery without another word. I sighed and trotted after her.

I entered the den just in time to see Amberkit jump on her fluffy white brother. Snowkit cried out in surprise. "Hey! I was about to catch a really big squirrel!" he growled. Amberkit grinned. "But we have something so much better than hunting! We're gonna have a contest!" At the sound of 'contest', Snowkit's eyes flew wide open and he jumped right up. "Fun! Let's go!" Together, we swiftly ran outside the den.

"Alright. The first one to climb up that tree," Amberkit pointed to a tree hanging over the elder's den, "shall win the race. See that apple up there? You have to touch it before climbing back down. Understand?" I shivered. That apple looked really high up...

"What shall the winner receive?" Snowkit asked, lashing his tail back and forth in excitement. Amberkit thought for a moment before coming up with an idea. "The winner will get to order the loser around for the whole day." Snowkit nodded, liking that idea as I groaned. I was probably going to lose.

We padded up to the tree. I searched for little holes in the bark as my two new friends argued about who was stronger. I examined the tree, looking for a few places to place my paws when the competition began. I knew that I was going to come last, but I'm at least going to try to beat these Clan-born kits!

"Competitors, take your places!" Amberkit yowled, and her and Snowkit joined me at the foot of the tree. _Let the cat Olympics begin!_

Snowkit crouched down, ready to leap and I flexed my hairy cat legs. "On your mark... Get set..."

Bu Snowkit took off, scaling the tree before Amberkit had the time to say go. "Hey! Cheater!" I yowled and sprung onto the tree, Amberkit closely behind.

Soon enough, Amberkit passed me, to no surprise. I was shaking violently, remembering last time I tried climbing up a tree. As if reading my thoughts, Snowkit (a lot higher up the tree then I was,) yelled down to me, "Don't be scared! There aren't any foxes in camp, are there?"

I shook my head. "It's not that," I shivered. "I'm afraid to fall down!"

Amberkit now passed Snowkit on the tree. He yelled at her, and scurried up higher. I gulped. _How can they not be afraid?_

I took deep breaths and continued up the tree. I traveled upwards one claw at a time, not wanting to look like a scaredy-cat. I looked up, and a few feet above me, I saw a thick branch. I climbed up the tree fast, forgetting about the apple and the contest. I just wanted to rest.

I hopped onto the branch of the tree. I was safe, at least for now. I caught my breath and watched Snowkit and Amberkit battle off, neck and neck. They were very close to the apple, and they looked tied. I hoped that Amberkit would win; not only was she my best cat friend, but she probably wouldn't order me around all day, like the winner was supposed to.

I looked down at the camp. I wasn't very high up the tree, like I thought; I guess that when you're climbing, it seems like it's higher up. But the camp looked magnificent! From my post in the tree, you can see almost everything; from the two entrances to all the dens (except the elder's den, which was beneath the tree).

I heard the quick pitter-patter of claws, and saw a flash of white and ginger speed down the tree. I stood up as the two kits landed on the camp floor. "Ib fvon! Ib fvon!" Snowkit yelled, the apple in his mouth. I groaned.

"The only reason that you won was because you nearly pushed my off the tree! _And_ you cheated at the beginning and left before I said 'go'!" Amberkit grumbled loudly. Snowkit pouted. "No, I won fair and square! You're just saying things!"

I laughed as the two kits bickered on and on, forgetting about me in the tree. I smiled. I wish that I could've stayed in ThunderClan longer, but I have to go search for my lost family. They mean a lot to me, and I can't just leave them behind.

I stand up and look down. _Now how will I get down from this tree...?_


	7. Chapter 7 - Time To Go

Chapter 7

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><p>A week has now passed. Today is the day that I will leave ThunderClan and go search for my family. And believe me; I not really looking forward to it.<p>

Don't get me wrong; I love my mother and my brother, but the friends that I have made in ThunderClan are truly amazing. I play with Amberkit and Snowkit everyday (as Dewkit watches grumpily from the sidelines), I chat with Cherryleaf and Molefur and the other ThunderClan warriors occasionally come to talk to me. Life in the Clan is great, and I'm not to keen to leave it behind.

I have met every single cat in ThunderClan, and each one seems to have a different personality. I now know every cat by name and by pelt, but the new smells wafting in my nose are still pretty hard to musk out. And yes, the rumours are true; Purdy talks _so_ much!

I pad out of the medicine cat den, which had been my temporary nest. My paw had fully healed, and I was prepared to take the journey to find my family.

Amberkit joins me near the nursery, looking quite sad. "Why so grumpy?" I ask my new friend. Amberkit sighs. "You're leaving, that's what! I don't want you to go! You're too young! What if another fox finds you? What if you get lost? What if-"

I roll my eyes. "Amber, you worry too much! I'll be fine, I promise. Hey, I'll even come to visit sometime!" I said with a false hope. Amberkit sniffed.

"Well, you'll be leaving soon, so I better say some goodbyes," Amberkit replied gloomily. "Well, Brightheart wishes you luck on your journey," Amberkit said, then whispered, "I think that she's taken a liking of you!" I purred. I really liked the queen, no matter what she resembled, but I never thought that she would actually take a favouriting in me.

"Uh, Cinderheart says bye, and she wishes that you were there to see her newborn kits." I nodded. Cinderheart's kits were due any week now. and I had really wanted to see them. But life is life, and we must take journeys throughout it.

Amberkit sniffed again. "I'm going to miss you!" she started to sob. I immediately felt a little guilty, leaving my new friends behind. "I-It's ok, I'll v-visit!" I mumbled, but she didn't hear me.

I felt a tap on my shoulder, and I spun around. Bramblestar stood there, signalling that I should probably leave now. I said my last goodbye to Amberkit who ran off, sobbing to her mother.

I trudged along behind the leader of ThunderClan, disappointed. He walked over to the main entrance of the camp was. Standing there where two cats that I learned to know quite well; Cherryleaf and Squirrelflight.

"Squirrelflight and Cherryleaf have volunteered to escort you to the border, near WindClan territory. If you continue through the territory, you'll find a Twoleg farm. Maybe you can start the search for your family there," Bramblestar said. I nodded in respect. "Thank you, Bramblestar, for everything. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for your warriors."

Bramblestar gazed solemnly into the forest. "Are you sure you want to go out there? You're so young... Maybe you should stay in ThunderClan a little while longer." I knew that Bramblestar wanted me to stay with his Clan, but my own priorities came first. "I'm sorry Bramblestar. I want to stay, really, but my family is out there, searching for me, and I can't let them down." Bramblestar nodded. "See you around then, Rachel."

"Bye." Bramblestar stalked off towards his den, leaving me alone with the two she-cats. "He really likes you, you know," Squirrelflight told me. "He sees something in you that would make a great warrior. Come on, we should go now. Are you ready?"

I took a deep breath. "Yup."

Squirrelflight took the lead and Cherryleaf fell behind me. We travelled deeper into the forest, leaving the Clan and some great memories behind.

I looked back. I saw nothing.

We padded through the thick undergrowth in silence. A few minutes later, Cherryleaf spoke up. "So Rachel, how did you like ThunderClan?"

I smiled. "It's great! There are so many cats and they're all so nice and helpful... Every day seems to bring more surprises!" My eyes shone at the thought the powerful forest Clan, but darkened as I realized that I wasn't going to see it again.

"You didn't really want to leave the Clan, did you?" I shook my head. "No. But my family..." I trailed off. Cherryleaf nodded in understanding.

We padded on for a few more moments until we reached a stream. _This place looks awfully familiar..._ My ears pricked up. "I've been here!" I remembered, remembering the day when I got washed away into the lake as a result of chasing a squirrel. I blushed at the memory._ I almost died... Then a mysterious voice came and helped me find my strength!__  
><em>

Squirrelflight nodded. "Interesting. Anyway, beyond this stream is the WindClan territory. You'll have to pass through it to reach the Twoleg farm, as Bramblestar told you." Squirrelflight padded near the stream and looked at the tumbling waters. "It's a little to wide to jump across; we'll have to go downstream until we can find a place to cross." Without another word, Squirrelflight left, leaving me and Cherryleaf behind. We soon caught up to her and continued our trek.

A few moments later, Cherryleaf stopped moving. Her ears were pricked, and her nose was sniffing. Squirrelflight stopped too, and I became worried. "W-what is it?" I asked nervously.

Squirrelflight sighed. "WindClan. A patrol must be coming." I stiffened up. Would there be a battle?

The deputy of ThunderClan narrowed her eyes. "Alright. Rachel, I don't want to scare you or anything, but do you see that clump of nettles over there?" She pointed to a patch of plants not to far off. I nodded. "Well, go hide in them, please. If WindClan sees ThunderClan with an outsider, they might think that we are accepting more rogues into the Clan. They'll think we're weak, and that's not very good." I nodded in understanding and sprinted into the nettle patch. It was pretty big, so I knew that the WindClan patrol wouldn't be able to see me, and the scent of the herbs would disguise my scent.

Heartbeats later, a groups of three scrawny and battle-scarred cats came into view. One was a grey-and-white she-cat, the other was a black tom and the smallest one, probably a new apprentice, was a ginger she-cat.

"Hello, Crowfeather." Squirrelflight dipped her head to the black tom. I almost gasped. _That_ was Crowfeather?!

Crowfeather's expression was unreadable. "Squirrelflight. Cherryleaf. How's Leafpool?" he asked, making the grey-and-white she-cat stare at him with disbelief.

"She's alright. She's going to ask Bramblestar later today if she can re-become a medicine cat. How's WindClan?" Squirrelflight wondered absent-mindly.

Crowfeather shrugged. "It's good, except for Nightcloud has gone missing. She probably went trying to find Breezepelt. But the good news is, Furzepelt here got her first apprentice yesterday!" He ended on a happy note. _Nightcloud gone missing? That's strange..._

Cherryleaf looked at the light orange she-cat. "Why hello! I'm Cherryleaf. What's your name?" she asked.

The pale orange she-cat looked down at her paws. "M-my name is Gingerpaw!" she stuttered, embarrassed. I smiled from behind the nettle leaves.

"Come on, Crowfeather, let's mark the border and go," muttered Furzepelt coldly. Crowfeather nodded and followed her back to the WindClan camp, wherever that was, Gingerpaw scampering behind. "Say hi to Onestar for us!" Cherryleaf yelled after them. I giggled and emerged from the nettle clump, and we continued our journey downstream.

At around sunhigh, we reached a spot where is was easy to jump across the stream. "I guess that this is where we leave you," muttered Squirrelflight. I nodded sadly. I didn't want to go, but it was my duty.

I walked to the edge of the stream and tensed my muscles. I took a deep breath and sprang onto WindClan's territory. I landed safely and turned around to say goodbye to my escorts, but they were gone. My eyes widened in disbelief and I turned around, tail drooping onto the moor's floor. I walked slowly away from the forest, and the orange-leaved trees swaying in the wind seemed to be waving _goodbye._


	8. Chapter 8 - Moor Journey

**This chapter is dedicated to Emberclaw, my most energetic and awesome reviewer! - Maybe if you review, you'll get a dedication too!**

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><p>Chapter 8<p>

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><p>I trudged slowly along the lake's shore towards the human farm across the moor. I knew that I was doing the right thing, but that didn't change the way I felt. For some reason, I felt as though I chose wrong.<p>

I padded along the shore, the wet sand sticking between the pads on my paws. I paused and washed them, grimacing as some sand got in my mouth. I spat most of it out and kept going.

I travelled for a few more minutes, dragging my feet along sadly when I heard the scrabble of claws on stone. I quickly whipped my head around, eyes wide. Did a WindClan patrol follow me?

Suddenly, a tiny black shape slid down a boulder that was laying in front of me. I tensed up for a moment, until a small voice squeaked, "C'mon, Fuzzykit! I can see the lake!" A fluffy ginger body slid down the big rock too, and she grinned at her brother.

My body relaxed, realizing that they were just little kittens. But what were they doing so far away from their camp?

The two kits finally spotted me after they peeled their curious eyes from the lake. The fluffy ginger kit's eyes widened, but the little black tom's yellow eyes shone like a thousand stars.

"Hi, stranger cat! This is my sister Fuzzykit, and my name is Littlekit. We come from a Clan named WindClan, and we are out exploring!" he boasted cheerfully as his sister stared at him, shocked.

"Littlekit! This is a trespasser! She's on our territory, and for all we know, she can be from another Clan!" she warned her brother desperately. Littlekit's expression changed from excited to afraid in a matter of seconds. He snarled at me, and I realized what they were going to do next.

"You evil rogue! Messing with WindClan is the last thing that you'll ever do!" he roared as he leaped at me. Fuzzykit followed him, a scowl on her face.

The two young kits crashed into my ribs and I toppled over, the wind knocked out of me. They slashed at me with their tiny kitten-claws; they didn't really hurt, but the force that they used for the swipes felt like someone was punching my back.

I then realized that I was about the same size as them, which made my body as weak as a three-month old kitten. I yelped as the WindClan kits rammed into my side.

"Help! I-I swear that I don't want to hurt you!" I gasped for breath. "I'm just passing through! Please!"

The kits stopped attacking me after a few more moments. I lay on the ground, bruised and tired, catching my breath. "You could've said so before, you know," Littlekit mumbled softly and his sister bit her lip, looking guilty. I closed my eyes, thankful that the kit-attack was over and I muttered, "It's ok."

Fuzzykit hopped over to me and helped me get to my feet. I groaned, an ache in my stomach. _I can't believe that I was taken down by a pair of kits..._

I stood up and started to groom my fur. The two kits just looked at me, watching me wash. I felt a little uncomfortable. "Uh, are you guys alright?" I asked, but they didn't move a single muscle. They seemed to be looking at my left shoulder, wide-eyed and tense. _Damn_.

I figured it out in a few moments, they weren't looking at me, they were looking at three cats standing behind me. It was the patrol that I had seen earlier with Squirrelflight and Cherryleaf; Crowfeather, Furzepelt and Gingerpaw. I gulped at Crowfeather's stare bored into my eyes.

"I see that we have an intruder and two misbehaving kits today. Let's see what Onestar has to say about this."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Crowfeather, the other WindClan cats and I made our way to the centre of the moor, where the camp was situated. A frantic light grey queen greeted us by the main entrance, grabbing her two misbehaving kits and scolding them. "Littlekit! Fuzzykit! Why don't you ever listen to me? Why can't you be like Eaglekit for once, hm?" she muttered, covering them in licks.

"Heathertail, your kits are becoming quite out of control. Please pay closer attention to them from now on, alright?" Crowfeather told the fretting queen. Heathertail nodded and pushed the two troublemakers into their nests. I wondered who the father of her kits was, since I knew that she had been in love with Lionblaze once.

"Gingerpaw, go get Onestar. He should be in his den. Furzepelt, get something to eat. You look hungry," Crowfeather ordered. Gingerpaw shot off in a flash, but Furzepelt grumbled about her only wanting to take orders from the leader.

Crowfeather stayed with me, probably to make sure that I didn't harm his Clan in any way, shape or form. He just sat there and looked at me, staring as some of his Clanmates came out of their dens to check me out. I didn't like all these stares from the hostile cats, so I lay down and covered my face with my paws. A few moments later, I heard some heavy pawsteps coming towards me and I looked up. There was a large light brown tom looking down at me. A heartbeat later, he muttered,"Take her to my den."

Crowfeather stood up, and I did too. The big tom, Onestar I think, scurried into his den, a crack in a rock in the corner of the gorge. It seemed to be the only den that was an actual shelter, with something to protect the cats inside from the heavy rains and snows. Tentatively, I slowly padded into the den.

Inside, there was a bit of moss and feathers that littered the floor, creating a warm and comfy nest. Next to Onestar, there was a white she-cat sitting silently in the corner of the cave. I looked back at the entrance of the den; Crowfeather did not follow behind me.

The leader cleared his throat and my attention snapped back to him. "My name is Onestar, and I am the leader of the lake's most loyal Clan, WindClan. This," he flicked his white-tipped tail at the she-cat next to him, "is Whitetail, my second-in-command. Now, kit, what is your name?"

I figured that I wasn't going to tell him my real name, since I didn't want to go through the whole 'Ratshell' thing again, so I said the first thing that came to my head. "My name is Apple, nice to meet you, One Star and White Tail," I replied, trying to sound as though the names felt weird to say for me. Sure enough, it worked.

"Onestar and Whitetail. One word," the white she-cat explained to me. I nodded in understanding As Onestar continued.

"Well, Apple, may I ask why you were in our territory?" he wondered aloud. I nodded and told him that I was passing through to reach the farm on the other side of their territory. I didn't go into the details, 'cause it wasn't important. When I was finished, Onestar nodded.

"It's believable, I guess. Alright, Apple, you may leave the cave now, but stay in the camp for just a few more moments. I'm not quite done with you. Okay?"

"Sure," I shrugged and I padded out of the den, where I was immediately knocked over by a familiar black kitten. "Wow! You got to talk to Onestar! So cool! What did he want?"

I held back a purr as I looked at Littlekit. He acted as though we knew each other for years, and that we were best friends. To answer his question, I answered, "He just wanted to know why I was in WindClan's territory. I didn't get in trouble, if that's what you mean."

"Hmpf! Lucky! Mother scolded Fuzzykit and I for ages, and when my sister let it slip that we _attacked_ you, she roared like a lion and we're not allowed leaving the nursery for a whole week!" Littlekit cried out, fur fluffing up. I held back a giggle.

"So what are you doing out here right now?" I asked the little bugger, but I didn't need an answer. I heard a loud yell coming from a patch of moss near the edge of their camp, and I turned around and saw Heathertail glaring at her son. "I thought that you weren't allowed to leave the nest, you little troublemaker!" she meowed daringly and she padded up to us. _Uh oh._

"You are a lot like your father, Littlekit. If only he was still around and in camp today." She sighed, and my blood froze. "If only Breezepelt changed his ways, apologized and stayed here with his own kits, I would be happy," she muttered to herself. I was shocked, of course. _Heathertail and Breezepelt? I never knew that they had an affair_.

The young queen sighed again and dragged her naughty kit back to the nursery. "See ya, Apple!" he yowled as he was pushed away. I grinned in return.

I sat down and watched the lives of the WindClan cats go by. A few left on patrol at one point, and Littlekit attempted another breakout again, with no success. It was interesting to watch these cats go on about their day, and I realized that these moor cats weren't so different from ThunderClan after all.

_ThunderClan_. I still felt a little guilty about leaving them behind. But I knew that searching for my family was the right thing to do. If this happened to my mother or Damien, they would've done the same thing... Right?

I sighed. A light brown tail tapped my shoulder, and I looked up to see Onestar standing in back of me. "Everything okay? You look a little confused."

I shook my head. "It's not about your Clan, I swear. These cats are wonderful. It's just... I made a decision, earlier today, and back then I thought that it was the right thing to do. But now... Now I'm not sure. I guess I _am_ confused about something..." I wondered aloud. To my surprise, Onestar nodded.

"I know how you feel. Sometimes, you just have to follow your heart, and everything will be ok." I was a little surprised. The cat who had become a jerk after he became leader seemed to be finding his inner Onewhisker again. I nodded, thanking him for the support.

"Well, Harespring and Whitetail have agreed to escort you to the Twoleg farm, to the west. I hope you find what you're looking for," Onestar replied to my nod.

But I shook my head. "Thanks, but I think I'll be fine on my own. Besides, I'm going the other way now," I whispered. "I've got to return to the forest."


	9. Chapter 9 - Wise Eagle

**Sorry for the uber-long wait! My computer was being weird and... Urgh. Never mind.**

**Please review! Let's try to get at least 40 reviews at the end of this... OK? :)**

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><p>Chapter 9<p>

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><p>After I made my decision, Onestar insisted I stay in his camp for one more night. I had shrugged, agreeing, still surprised by the cat who seemed like the opposite of his book self.<p>

I settled in the camp and gazed at the setting sun. I couldn't believe that only this morning I had left the ThunderClan camp, and then tomorrow I would return. I kinda felt bad about abandoning the search for my family so quickly, but how would I find them in such a vast world, as a cat? They wouldn't even recognize me, and Damien is allergic to cat hair anyway. That's why we got a dog. But, for all I know, even if I did end up finding them, I would get shoved away like all the other street cats that lurk around my neighbourhood.

I sighed and rested my head on my paws. The first night stars started to peek through the dimming sunlight, and I felt some new paws pad near me. I turned around to glance at a dark grey tomkit with calm yellow eyes. He looked around the same age as Fuzzykit and Littlekit, and I decided that this must be their less-naughty brother, Eaglekit.

"The StarClan warriors are starting to appear now," he whispered into my ear, which surprised me a little. He sat down next to me and looked up at the darkening sky. I followed his gaze.

We sat in silence for a few moments. I definitely started feeling uncomfortable, sitting this close to a cat who only said one phrase, pelts touching. I slowly tried to wiggle away, but Eaglekit seemed to edge closer and closer, and I just gave up. _What a perv,_ I thought.

Finally, the dark cat sighed. "I know that I'm not my siblings, fun and all that, but I'll try to help anyway. Look, I know that something's troubling you; I can see it in your eyes." I narrowed them as he spoke. "It's none of your business," I mumbled shyly, and Eaglekiit snorted. "Sure, whatever."

"But what I'm trying to tell you is that our warrior ancestors are out now. I know that you're a rogue and everything, and that you probably don't believe in this stuff," he continued, and I almost interrupted him by saying that I'm not a rogue, but he pressed on. "Pray to StarClan. Tell them what's bothering you, and maybe they'll help, you never know," he finished, sounding like a philosopher.

I took a deep breath. StarClan? I knew that (obviously) the warrior Clans were real, but I wasn't to sure about StarClan. I mean, dead cats that are literally alive? Sounded pretty stupid to me.

But this very mature kit sitting next to me seemed so... What was the word? I don't know. Truthful, maybe? Anyway, for his pleasure, I cleared my throat with a rusty cough and began.

"O, uh, mighty StarClan, help me figure out what my future holds," I mewed, grinning stupidly as I did so. The wind travelling on the WindClan moors rubbed gently against my light ginger fur, and I breathed in the scents of rabbits and heather. Nothing to unusual.

But Eaglekit shook his dark furred head. "You don't believe in the warriors of the stars! They'll never answer if you don't take them seriously." With that, Littlekit's brother stood up and padded towards the nursery. I sat there, confused.

Before disappearing into the sedge, he turned around and whispered, "Put your heart into it." Then, he curled up inside his nest and when to sleep.

_Believe_, a voice whispered in the wind, brushing past my ear as I sat in the WindClan camp. I jumped as I recognized that voice. But from where...?

Then I remembered. It was that time when I was drowning in the lake, and a voice that wasn't mine had helped me find my strength again. "You mean, that was from StarClan too?" I whispered to myself, surprised by this. I had thought that it was only my imagination.

I looked up at the now-starry sky. Was StarClan watching over me, just like it did with the Clanborn cats? Did this mean that my destiny was to find the warrior cats, and live like them, by their ways and rituals? Still, it wouldn't hurt to ask again.

_Believe, _the voice whispered again. I stared at the sky, hoping that this would work. I took a deep breath.

"StarClan, please show me what to do. What is my destiny?" I pleaded. I wished with all my heart that they, StarClan that is, would respond.

Suddenly, clouds started to cover the sky, blocking the twinkling stars. A storm rumbled up ahead, causing many cats to look up. My eyes widened. Did I do this?

The thunder rumbled loudly in the sky. "Is this a sign from StarClan? What does it mean?" Gingerpaw asked a mottled-brown she-cat. The she-cat shrugged. "I don't know... This weather change is making me uneasy."

I looked around. I saw Onestar talking to another tom, probably Kestrelflight. Both of the cats didn't seem to know what was going on, which made me even more nervous. Was this actually a sign from the cats' holy ancestors? Or was this just a random weather change?

"Everybody, get inside the den-shelters!" Whitetail shouted, and the WindClan cats ran under a few shelters that were hidden along the camp walls. I didn't know where to go, but some cat picked me up by the scruff and put me in a warm little den.

The den that they put me in was the nursery. I could tell by the scent and by the fact that Littlekit was crawling all over me. "Hey, Apple! What a weird weather change, huh?"

I nodded. A few drops of rain splattered onto the camp's floor. Fuzzykit snorted. "Not rain! Urgh!" Heathertail sighed. "Fuzzykit, during your lifetime it's going to rain, snow and hail. That's just life, my kit. You'll go through its ups and downs, but everything will get better when the sun comes out."

"It doesn't mean that I have to love the rain!" Fuzzykit complained. An annoyed mew came from the back corner of the den. "Please, stop mewling! I'm trying to sleep here," a grumpy she-cat voice muttered. Fuzzykit smiled apologetically in the darkness. "Sorry, Sunstrike!"

I purred quietly. These cats were quite something! Heathertail sighed and pulled her two troublesome kits close to her. "You two are such a nuisance! If your father was here, he would not be very proud," she scolded them. The den when silent. Then, Eaglekit made himself visible, crawling out from behind his mother. I had completely forgot that he was here.

"Mother... What really _did_ happen to Father? 'Cause I remember when you told us that he got hit by a monster before we were born, but I doubt that that's what happened. I... I overheard Harespring and Sedgewhisker talking about something, then I heard the word 'Breezepelt', and they looked at me and stopped talking." I widened my eyes. Heathertail lied to them about their father? This was probably not the best time to be in the nursery.

The rain poured harder down on the floor. Heathertail didn't say anything for a long time, and the silence felt uncomfortable. finally, she said, "I'll tell you tomorrow, just not now. I... I don't think that Apple would like to hear it." It's true. Even though I know what happened, I didn't want to hear it again. I nodded in response. "That's a family affair. I don't want to barge in," I mewed. Heathertail sent me a grateful glance. Even though while I was reading the series I didn't like her, I started to feel a little something towards the she-cat.

Many minutes passed and Littlekit, Fuzzykit and Heathertail joined Sunstrike in sleepy-town. I could tell that Eaglekit was awake, thanks to his shining yellow eyes. I didn't dare talk to him though; I didn't want to wake the others.

Thunder rumbled in the sky and the downpour started. The whole camp was quiet. It was peaceful.

I was trying to figure out why the storm had come. To me, it seemed like just some random storm, but the other cats didn't think so. I was so concentrated on figuring out what this meant that the slightest noises made me jump.

_Storms... Rain... Lighting... Thunder... What does this mean? Think, Rachel, think..._

"That's it!" That voice made me jump. I saw Eaglekit sitting up, looking at the storm. "What did you get?" I whispered to him.

He looked at me with his big yellow eyes. "It was a sign from StarClan. It just told you your destiny." He smiled. "Did you figure it out, Apple?"

I squinted my eyes and stared outside. I had asked for the path towards my destiny. The storm had started, and -

"I got it!" I whispered, a little to excitedly. Sunstrike grumbled from the corner, but didn't wake up.

Eaglekit smiled. "What was it?"

I smiled too. "StarClan has showed me the right way to go. I must go to ThunderClan."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

I feel a gentle nudge in my shoulder. I yawn and open my eyes. Onestar is standing over me. "It's time to go. The storm had stopped, and it's already dawn. Whitetail and Crowfeather will take you to the ThunderClan border. You'll be alone after that."

I nodded. "Thank you so much, Onestar. I'll never forget WindClan, I promise." He replied with a shrug, and he weaved himself out of the nursery.

I looked at the rest of the cats in the den. Everyone was still sleeping. I felt sad, since I wanted to say goodbye to them before I left. _Heathertail, Sunstrike, good luck with your kits. Eaglekit, Littlekit, Fuzzykit, thanks for everything._

I padded outside. There were a few muddy areas here and there, and the grass was still pretty damp from last night's rain. I met up with Whitetail and Crowfeather at the entrance. Crowfeather looked really grumpy, as I always imagined him, but Whitetail looked the opposite.

"Are you ready, Apple?"

I thought of the life that I was leaving behind. I though of Mom, and Damien, and Titus, and everybody who I once knew. But I knew, deep down, that I was never going to find them again.

I took a deep breath. "Let's go."


	10. Chapter 10 - Some Encounters

Chapter 10

* * *

><p>Whitetail, Crowfeather and I silently padded across the moor towards the forest. I was quite happy with my decision to join ThunderClan, but I still had this sinking feeling in my stomach. I knew that StarClan verified my decision and everything, but I still felt guilty about leaving my old life behind.<p>

I sighed and shook my head. The past was the past, and I shouldn't dwell on something like that, especially since there were a bunch of other stuff that I should be worrying about right now. Like would ThunderClan still take me in, after everything that I did? And why was I even a cat in the first place? I still didn't quite understand that last one.

A new scent travelled to my nose, jolting me out of my thoughts. I look at the patrol, wondering if anything was wrong. I didn't recognize this smell.

To my relief, Whitetail smiled. "Rabbit!" She grinned and shot a glance at Crowfeather. He nodded, and with that he started to run across the moor.

He sprinted after a light brown shape moving through the heather. The whole time I was watching, my eyes were as big as apples. Crowfeather was so fast that the poor rabbit didn't even have a chance. The black WindClan tom killed the poor prey with a quick neck snap.

"Nice catch, Crowfeather!" Whitetail exclaimed as he padded back towards the group. He grunted, then set his catch on the ground. I eyed it uncomfortably. There was a little bit of blood around its neck, and the rabbit's eyes were open and glazed over. It was kind of disturbing, so I looked away.

The two older cats talked for a few moments, the rabbit still lying on the ground. To my great horror, my stomach growled as I poked the dead animal with one of my front white paws. I jumped back, eyes wide. Did the cat part of me want to eat... This?

Unluckily enough, Whitetail and Crowfeather heard my hungry belly's plead, and the white warrior said, "If you're hungry, take some."

My stomach growled again as I realized that the last time that I ate was in ThunderClan, which was yesterday. I gulped. All I ever ate as a cat were a few berries and plants, and the fact of eating raw meat repulsed me. But... I was so hungry..

I closed my eyes and inched closer to the dead rabbit. If I was to become a ThunderClan warrior, I would have to eat prey eventually. _Better now than never_, I thought and I leaned in for a bite.

The flavour quite surprised me. It didn't taste like gross, bloody, raw meat at all; more like well-cooked pork with an herbal spice. I guess that since I was a cat, my taste buds changed and seemingly disgusting things turn out pretty good. I had a few more bites before stepping aside and letting the others have some. _That wasn't so bad_, I thought to myself, licking my whiskers.

The two other cats finished the meal and buried the bones in the soft earth. "Hurry up, kit, we don't have all day," Crowfeather grumbled as I frantically scrambled after them

"Crowfeather! Be nice. You're such a grump all the time. Lighten up, will you?" Whitetail told him. I laughed quietly in my mind as Crowfeather growled in response.

We walked for a few more minutes. I learned to love the feeling of the wind brushing through my fur, and the scent of the moor seemed nice and sweet. Even though I liked the moor, I think that I would be much more happier with protection over my head.

Soon enough, I saw some trees starting to appear a little way in front of us. I smiled. I'm almost home!

Whitetail padded up to me. "So, where are you going to go after this?" she asked me. I looked back at the white she-cat. She probably wouldn't like it if I told her that I was going to live in ThunderClan after all that WindClan did to me. "I guess that I'll head for a Twolegplace or something," I replied. "I'll be just passing through the forest."

She nodded. "That's fine. Oh, but just beware for the cats who live in there; ThunderClan. They're usually friendly, but if they see a cat like you on their territory, there's no knowing what they'll do." I nodded. "Thanks for the advice," I mumbles. "I'll try to avoid them."

Crowfeather spoke up to, having listened to our conversation. "But, uh, if you did end up passing through ThunderClan, just... Just tell a cat named Leafpool that I say hi." I nodded again. "I'll remember that."

We looked back at the forest. "So, I guess this is goodbye," Whitetail muttered. "Have a safe trip." I smiled. "Tell Heathertail's kits that I wish them luck becoming a warrior!" Whitetail purred. "I'll remember that too!"

Crowfeather stared at me through his dark blue eyes. "Don't forget. Leafpool."

"Okay! Sheesh," I muttered and Whitetail let out a small purr. I bade the WindClan cats goodbye as I ran towards the forest. "Bye! Thanks for all of your help!"

I heard the WindClan cats saying their goodbyes too, then they turned around and went back home. I was alone, once again.

I kept running until I was in the safety of the trees. I breathed in the scent. I loved it here. I shook my head to cleared my thoughts and I padded through the undergrowth.

I barely even noticed the stream in which I almost fell in yesterday. My determination to find ThunderClan had given me strength, just as the search for my family had. I jumped over the tiny river with ease, and I kept to my journey.

I walked around in the forest for what seemed like hours and hours. By the time it was midday, I was still lost in this unrecognizable forest. I felt a whimper rising in my throat, but I shoved it back down. Man, this was frustrating! If only I had a compass.

My mouth was dry from the lack of water. My stomach growled again. Urgh, I felt so weak and vulnerable. What is the fox came back? What could I do? I can't fight. Heck, I could barely sprint with these little cat legs... I decided to take a rest at the foot of a pine tree.

I sighed and closed my eyes. This past week, so many things had happened to me; the car crash, the turning-into-a-cat thing, the meeting of the Clans... It would be nice to have a little nap. That can't hurt anybody... Right?

I close my eyes and drift into a dreamless sleep. Sadly, It did not last long, as I woke up a few minutes later when I felt pain in my tail.

I squeaked, jumped around and stared at the thing in front of me. It was a cat, a black-and-white tom with scars all over his pelt. His icy-blue eyes glinted coldly and his snarl did not look very inviting.

The scary cat had my tail in his mouth, and he bit it, hard. I yowled in pain, and I whisked my tail away from him. There was no blood on my ginger fur, but I was pretty sure that it was badly bruised.

"W-why... Who are you?" I asked nervously. I was afraid of this battle-scarred cat; I had never seen him before. The cat growled and leaped at me, claws extended. I squeaked in terror as he landed on my shoulders pinning me down. Tears spilled out of my face. "Help!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. The tom bared his teeth. "Get out of ShadowClan territory!" he yowled, which surprised me. This was a ShadowClan cat? ... And I was on his territory. Still, I couldn't run off, since he was still pining me down. Were all ShadowClan cats this strong?

"What is it, little kitty?" the black-and-white tom snarled. "Push me off and run away!" I gathered up all my strength and tried to push him off of me, but it was no use. I was tired and weak, and I was still technically a kit!

"I... I can't run if you don't get off of me!" I answered weakly, and the tom bared his teeth once more. "I didn't ask you to talk! I guess that I'll have to give you a lesson." My eyes widened. "No!"

The tom unsheathed his claws and they dug into my shoulder and I yowled in pain. The tom smiled wickedly, his blue eyes dancing with pleasure.

"Wha...? Crowfrost?" A female voice asked from behind us. The cat, Crowfrost looked around, and while he was distracted I got him off of me and sprinted. Tears were in my eyes, my tail and shoulders stung and I was very scared. I ran into the protection of the leaffy forest, not the pine one.

I could see the two cats from my hiding spot behind a berry bush. There was a tawny she-cat standing a few feet away from the scary ShadowClan tom. She looked very angry.

"Crowfrost! You were supposed to stay with the patrol! And, oh for StarClan's sake!" She looked at Crowfrost's claws, which were tainted red. "Was that a _kit_?" she screeched. "For StarClan's sake, Crowfrost! It's as though you're a Dark Forest cat! Why did you do it?" she asked his, furious. Crowfrost looked at his paws. "It's none of your business, Tawnypelt." My eyes widened. My saviour was _Tawnypelt_!

"Come on. Let's go back to camp. I don't think that Blackstar would like what you did." With that, the two ShadowClan cats returned into the depths of their marshy home. I let out a sigh of relief as I lay down on the soft forest floor. To be honest, I didn't even know that I was in ShadowClan territory!

I lie there for a few minutes. _What should I do? _I was lost in a vast forest full of mean cats and hungry foxes. My new wounds were stinging, and I was so hungry...

I sat up, wincing. Maybe I can try to hunt, like all the other cats did... I shrugged. _I can try, I guess._

I stood up and padded clumsily through the undergrowth, nose high in the air. I tried to get a whiff of some sort of animal; a bird, a mouse, anything! I walked around for a few minutes, not getting the scent of anything. Just as I was about to give up, I hear a scratching-sort-of sound, and I turn around to see a squirrel nibbling on a plant root a few yards away.

I licked my lips. I was about to catch my first piece of prey! I remembered what the Warrior books had taught me. Light steps, butt up, your weight in your haunches, ect. Chest pounding, I started to stalk my prey.

I kept my eyes on the squirrel, who didn't seem to notice my approaching. The dying summer leaves helped camouflage my ginger fur, so I was almost invisible in the eye of my prey.

Suddenly, I stepped on a small thorn. I jumped, surprised, accidentally sending a few of the fallen leaves flying. The squirrel looks up and dashes away in the opposite direction.

"Damnit!" I mutter, checking my paw to see if it was okay. There was no blood or anything; it seemed just fine. I then decided to look for my squirrel and catch it, like I had wanted to do all along. I pad around the undergrowth, following the scent of my squirrel. Heartbeats later, I find it stuffing its face with nuts at the foot of a birch tree.

This time, I don't stalk it carefully. I didn't have the patience anymore, and I was hungry! I leaped out at it, but the squirrel saw my shadow and scurried away. I ran after it, desperate to get my paws on that piece of prey.

I chased the squirrel throughout the forest, never giving up. Something about this part of the forest seemed familiar, but I didn't pay attention to that. I had to catch that squirrel.

My soon-to-be prey darted behind a bush. I jumped into in, the brambles clinging to my fur, but I didn't manage to catch it. I leaped out of the bush, empty pawed.

"Hey! You!"

A female voice growled behind me. Had I strayed into ShadowClan territory again? I slowly turned around came face-to-face with a light ginger she-cat. My eyes widened as I recognized that scent.

"S-Sandstorm? Is that you?"


End file.
